2016 Fall newsletter.pub

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: MIKE RUSSO, RES, CFE

Name: Joseph “Mike” Russo County: Monroe What do you do for the PA?

Mike is the Appraisal Supervisor overseeing the field appraisers throughout the county. In addition he assists in valuation and Val- ue Adjustment Board Hearings. How long have you been employed by the PA? Almost 7 years. Mike Started in the Key West Office in January of 2010 as residential appraiser. He was promoted to a supervisory position in 2013. What do you like most about your job?

Mike Russo, RES, CFE

There are so many things Mike states he likes about this job. “I suppose the main thing I like is how much I am growing and learning with my current position. I have been in the appraisal field for over 20 years now, with about 15 of those on the “fee” side. There are many paral- lels but, just as many differences. I find mass appraisal a bit more challenging, yet more re- warding.” What do you find challenging about your job? Appraising 91,000 parcels, through a chain of islands connected by a single highway, 45 bridges which spans about 105 miles long and about a half-mile wide….all with handful of appraisers. Where were you born? Mike was born right in beautiful Key West, Florida where he has spent all but 10 years of his life. What was your first job? Mike’s first job was as a “Dinnerware Sanitation Engineer” at the Black Angus restaurant in Key West. He stayed in the restaurant industry for years , including managing establishments.

He decided he needed a career change and became an independent appraiser prior to being hired by the Property Appraiser’s Office. What was your best vacation ever? About 28 years ago, Mike’s family and his ex-wife’s family all took a trip to the Smokey Mountains and needless to say, it was a chain of disasters! It culminated with an encounter with a pretty insulting and disrespectful Inn Keeper. “We can’t go back to Maggie Valley. We have laughed quite a bit over the years reflecting back on it.”

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Fall 2016 Newsletter of the FCIAAO